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Facebook has released an unlocked operating system for its Oculus Go headsets that allows users to run their own software on the device. This new OS stops the headset from signature-checking the boot.img, meaning users are free to replace that with whatever they wish, granting them unrestricted access to the headset. Of course, this also removes the necessity of using a Facebook or Oculus account with the device. However, the process is irreversible, and you will no longer receive over-the-air updates after you've unlocked the OS.

This move comes about a year after Facebook discontinued the Go line, and shut down app development last December. While there will still be firmware and security updates pushed to the Go until 2022, this unlocked OS should allow users to support the device indefinitely.

Source

 

[codezer0]

Must be John Carmack's influence.

Like that idiot would care.

 

[Dr_Faustus]

This should be a legal requirement when any device is discontinued. It'd massively reduce e-waste.

Just wait awhile and the heroes in the EU will make a stink about it enough to break the ties between the hardware and Facebook. They have been the ones pushing the envelope on making tech companies not do shitty things on the consumer anymore. The trickle down effect is once the EU makes it happen it will be much easier for everyone else to get in on the benefit.

 

[Dr_Faustus]

Don’t consider buying a headset right now

Details in the VR group because that’s a lot of words to type again

What about those just wanting to get a previous gen model for cheaper or a used one that can be cleaned up and hacked?

While I understand the whole wait out for something better mentality, aside from the fact that something is "always" going to be around the corner, making waiting for the next big thing a futile effort to forever talk yourself out of ever buying any kind of technology, the aspects of waiting for Valve or other VR folk is not going to offer something that we all want to have, and that's affordability. Hell, even first gen Vive headsets are still pricey as hell and they require you to still be hooked up to your computer to do anything. The preowned market for VR is still all over the damn place, but waiting for the newest thing does not seem to benefit anything in terms of price or value. Either have $$$$ to spend or luck out in the lottery in buying a preowned unit for cheap whenever it happens.

 

[TheNerdWIzard]

Like that idiot would care.

But it was. He literally tweeted about this a while ago and that he was the one pushing this. And this was before the official announcement.

 

[Mama Looigi]

What about those just wanting to get a previous gen model for cheaper or a used one that can be cleaned up and hacked?

While I understand the whole wait out for something better mentality, aside from the fact that something is "always" going to be around the corner, making waiting for the next big thing a futile effort to forever talk yourself out of ever buying any kind of technology, the aspects of waiting for Valve or other VR folk is not going to offer something that we all want to have, and that's affordability. Hell, even first gen Vive headsets are still pricey as hell and they require you to still be hooked up to your computer to do anything. The preowned market for VR is still all over the damn place, but waiting for the newest thing does not seem to benefit anything in terms of price or value. Either have $$$$ to spend or luck out in the lottery in buying a preowned unit for cheap whenever it happens.

Well the only one you can really do much with is this Oculus Go. But the pricing for preowned headsets seems to go down very quickly… for all except valve and HTC ones.

However, I’m saying to wait because there’s been like… two headset launches this year? All the companies have been waiting for this October, we’re currently in the most important month for VR all year. It would be foolish to not wait and see what happens.
(Besides, preowned headsets will probably become cheaper very soon due to this)

 

[ChaoticPumpkin]

Well that was an unexpected, but nice surprise!

 

[Nincompoopdo]

That’s basically already what it was, you couldn’t do much else with it except the handful of party games

I can’t imagine there was a single person who got this that was serious about VR and didn’t try… that

Well, now you can build a homebrew video app that optimized the hell out of the hardware to support higher res and framerate for 180 VR video.

 

[Spectremint]

TIL there's a 64gb model

that was the original launch model size... i got a 64gb one
they only recently added 128gb as a size

 

[KeeperCP1]

The very first time Meta gives love to Oculuses...